A cruise ship raced to save the lives of scores of passengers stranded on a sightseeing boat which began flooding after it struck a rock in Alaska. It has been reported that as many as 76 people had to be rescued when the Baranof Wind ran aground in Alaska's Glacier Bay and started taking on water at 11am yesterday. Coast Guard David Mosley said the majority of the passengers and crew members aboard the 79ft boat were transferred to a large Holland America cruise ship called the Vollendam which was the closest vessel to the scene. None of those aboard were seriously hurt although some minor injuries were reported and two people were taken aboard a National Park Service ship. The passengers are believed to have been on an eight-hour cruise aboard the high-speed catamaran which can accommodate up to 149 people. Glacier Bay, at the northern end of southeastern Alaska's Inside Passage, is a major tourist destination known for its spectacular scenery and marine life. Among the tour highlights advertised on the company's website are: 'Tidelwater glaciers, towering snow-capped mountains, spectacular wildlife, whales, sea lions, rare birds, black bear, brown bears, seals, eagles.' Designated a World Heritage Site in 1992, Glacier Bay National Park contains 3.2-million-acres of wilderness ecosystem.
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